How to Make a Sparkleball Snowman

1.   You'll make 3 basic sparkleballs using 100 clear mini-lights, but each ball will have only 46 cups.

On Ball #1, build the first half as usual. But as you fit the last four cups in, have the lights ready to thread. Pull the plug end between the cups, then melt them into place, so the plug end dangles out directly from the top of the ball. Then thread the lights into the cups, 2 lights to a cup.

On the second half you'll leave out the last four cups so there's a gap in the top of the ball half. Make sure the prong end of the lights dangles out the gap. Then finish threading in the lights. Add the leftover 8 lights to 8 lucky cups, so that those cups have 3 lights each instead of 2.

Join the halves. Build Balls #2 and #3 the same way.

2.   Set Ball #1 on the ground, with the gap facing the ground. This is your base. (A prong should be hanging out of the bottom to plug into your extension cord.)

Put Ball #2 on top of Ball #1, fitting the gap side onto the rounded top of the bottom ball. Plug them into each other and make sure the lights work.

Then join the balls with the soldering iron. You can notch the cup rims together, as the sparkleball directions show. Or you can make holes between the cups and wire them together.

3.   Add Ball #3 to the top of Ball #2. Again, plug in the lights and make sure they all work. Then secure Ball #3.

4.   When the body is sturdy and strong, and the plugs are all plugged in and you know the lights work-- then decorate your snowman .

5.   If you plan to put your snowman outside, make sure you stake it to the ground so it won't blow over, using tent stakes through holes in the cups or by using wooden dowels inside the snowman.

Thanks to Glenda for instructions and Cuppy for the photo.

Ron in Brisbane, Australia made this sparkleball snowman. He used different size cups for each ball. To copy Ron's technique read about Modified Sparkleballs